Legal Definitions - P.

P.

P. stands for PACIFIC REPORTER.

The Pacific Reporter is a series of law books that publish the written opinions and decisions of appellate courts from various states in the western United States. When lawyers or judges cite a case from this region, they often refer to its location in the Pacific Reporter using the abbreviation "P." followed by a series number and page number.

• Example 1: A lawyer preparing a brief for a case in Oregon might cite a previous ruling from the Washington Supreme Court found at "150 P.3d 789." This citation tells anyone familiar with legal research exactly where to find that specific court decision.

  Explanation: This example shows how "P." is used as part of a standard legal citation to pinpoint a specific case published in the Pacific Reporter, indicating its source for legal precedent.

• Example 2: A law student researching how California courts have interpreted a particular environmental statute would likely consult cases published in the Pacific Reporter, as it contains the official opinions of the California Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court.

  Explanation: Here, "P." represents the collection of published court decisions that a student would use to understand the legal landscape and precedents set by courts in the western U.S.

P.A.

P.A. stands for PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION.

A Professional Association is a type of business entity, similar to a corporation, formed by licensed professionals (such as doctors, lawyers, architects, or accountants) to provide their services. It allows these professionals to operate their practice with certain tax benefits and limited personal liability for business debts, while still holding them personally accountable for their professional conduct and any malpractice.

• Example 1: Dr. Anya Sharma, a veterinarian, decided to structure her new animal clinic as "Anya Sharma, D.V.M., P.A." This legal structure helps protect her personal assets from the clinic's business liabilities, such as equipment loans or lease agreements, while she remains fully responsible for the medical care she provides to her animal patients.

  Explanation: This illustrates how a professional uses a P.A. to separate business finances and liabilities from personal assets, a common benefit of this business structure for licensed practitioners.

• Example 2: A group of three attorneys forming a new law firm might choose to organize as "Summit Legal Partners, P.A." This allows them to share office expenses, administrative staff, and marketing efforts under a single entity, while each attorney maintains individual professional responsibility for their client cases.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates how a P.A. facilitates collaboration among professionals, providing a structured way to manage shared business operations while preserving individual accountability for professional services.

PAC

PAC stands for POLITICAL-ACTION COMMITTEE.

A Political-Action Committee is an organization in the United States that raises and spends money to elect and defeat candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. PACs typically represent business, labor, or ideological interests and use their funds for various political activities, including advertising, voter outreach, and direct contributions to political campaigns.

• Example 1: The "Teachers for Better Schools PAC" collected donations from educators and concerned parents to support candidates for the local school board who promised to increase teacher salaries and reduce class sizes. The PAC then used these funds to run advertisements endorsing their preferred candidates.

  Explanation: This shows a PAC acting as a fundraising and spending vehicle for a specific interest group (teachers and parents) to influence local elections and policy outcomes.

• Example 2: During a state legislative session, the "Clean Water Advocates PAC" lobbied lawmakers and contributed to the campaigns of legislators who supported stricter environmental regulations to protect local rivers and lakes. They also ran public awareness campaigns to garner support for their cause.

  Explanation: This example illustrates how a PAC can engage in both direct political contributions and public advocacy to advance a particular policy agenda, in this case, environmental protection.

PACARE

Pacare is a historical legal term derived from Law Latin.

Historically, in legal contexts, pacare meant "to pay." This term is no longer in common legal use in modern English-speaking jurisdictions but might be encountered in the study of historical legal documents or ancient legal systems.

• Example 1: In a 14th-century English manor court record, a tenant might be ordered to pacare a fine of two shillings to the lord for failing to perform a required service.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates how pacare was used in historical legal documents to denote the act of making a payment or fulfilling a financial obligation.

• Example 2: A scholar translating an ancient Roman legal text discussing contracts might find the term pacare used to describe the debtor's duty to settle their financial obligation to the creditor.

  Explanation: This illustrates the historical context of pacare within the study of older legal systems, where it signified the act of payment.

PACER

PACER stands for PUBLIC ACCESS TO COURT ELECTRONIC RECORDS.

PACER is an electronic service provided by the U.S. federal judiciary that allows the public to access federal court documents online. Users can search for case information, view dockets, and download copies of filed pleadings, motions, and court orders from federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts.

• Example 1: A journalist investigating a high-profile corporate fraud case used PACER to retrieve the original indictment, subsequent court filings by the prosecution and defense, and the judge's orders, all of which were available electronically.

  Explanation: This shows PACER's utility for public access, allowing individuals like journalists to obtain official court documents directly from the federal court system.

• Example 2: A paralegal at a law firm needed to verify that a critical motion had been successfully filed in a federal district court case. She logged into PACER, searched for the case, and confirmed the electronic filing date and time listed on the court's docket.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates how legal professionals use PACER to monitor case progress and confirm the status of filings in federal courts.

PACIFICATION

In international law, pacification refers to the process or act of establishing peace between two or more nations that have been engaged in conflict or war. It involves diplomatic efforts, negotiations, treaties, and other measures aimed at resolving disputes, ending hostilities, and restoring peaceful relations.

• Example 1: After a decade of civil unrest and cross-border skirmishes, the United Nations initiated a comprehensive pacification effort, bringing together representatives from the warring factions to negotiate a ceasefire and a long-term peace agreement.

  Explanation: This illustrates pacification as an active, multi-faceted process undertaken by international bodies to resolve prolonged conflict between parties.

• Example 2: Following a brief but intense military confrontation, two neighboring countries engaged in direct diplomatic talks focused on the pacification of their disputed border region, ultimately leading to a demilitarization agreement and joint patrols.

  Explanation: This example shows pacification as a direct diplomatic process between states to de-escalate tensions and establish peace after a period of conflict.